Tool construction

ABSTRACT

A tool construction for use with workpiece tubes including an adjustable tube holder and an adjustable tube working device integral with the tube holder, and structure for concurrently adjusting the tube holder and tube working device. The exemplary disclosed tube working device comprises a tube cutter. The adjusting structure may be constructed to arrange the tube holder to be properly adjusted to receive the tube at the end of the tube working operation for effectively minimal adjustment to hold the tube for a subsequent operation. The tool includes an improved handle structure selectively disposed in a contracted arrangement or in an extended arrangement. Structure may be provided for biasing the handle to be releasably maintained in each of the selected arrangements.

[451 Nov. 26, 1974 TOOL CONSTRUCTION [75] Inventor: Richard V. Strybel,Elk Grove Village, 111.

[73] Assignee: Imperial-Eastman Corporation,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: June 22, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 372,792

[52] US. Cl 30/102, 7/1 G, 7/7.1,

7/14.1, 30/94, 30/124, 81/177 E, 145/61 L [51] Int. Cl B23d 21/08 [58]Field of Search 7/14.1, 1 G, 7.1; 30/102,

30/101, 96, 97, 98, 124, 92, 93, 94, 95; 81/177 E, 177 D; 145/61 L, 65

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 439,336 10/1890 Zitlow145/61 L 514,166 2/1894 Smith 7/7.l

517,393 3/1894 Post 30/101 667,143 1/1901 Tryon 7/7.1 720,784 2/1903Cochran 81/177 D 893,369 7/1908 Racltke 30/102 1,004,496 9/1911 Suster1,175,902 3/1916 Peterson.....

1,582,889 5/1926 Abbiuso 81/177 E 1,838,278 12/1931 Montagnon 145/61 L2,465,152 3/1949 Ellison 145/65 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 78,48912/1894 Germany 30/94 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith AssistantExaminer-J. T. Zatarga Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen,Stellman & McCord [5 7 ABSTRACT A tool construction for use withworkpiece tubes in cluding an adjustable tube holder and an adjustabletube working device integral with the tube holder, and structure forconcurrently adjusting the tube holder and tube working device. Theexemplary disclosed tube working devicecomprises a tube cutter. The adjusting structure may be constructed to arrange the tube holder to beproperly adjusted to receive the tube at the end of the tube workingoperation for effec tively minimal adjustment to hold the tube for asubsequent operation. The tool includes an improved handle structureselectively disposed in a contracted arrangement or in an extendedarrangement. Structure may be provided for biasing the handle to bereleasably maintained in each of the selected arrangements.

PATENTEL NOV 2 5 I974 ims geel sum 1 :1 a

TOOL CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the InventionThis invention relates to tools, and in particular, to tools for use inworking tubes and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art In working tubes and the like, differentoperations may be performed requiring different types of tools.Illustratively, where the tube is to be used in connection with a tubefitting disposed in sealed engagement with one end thereof, the tube endis firstly cut by a suitable tube cutter. The cut end may subsequentlybe flared for use with a conventional flare-type fitting. In effectingthe flare, the tube is held by a suitable tube holder while a flaringcone is forcibly urged into the cut end to provide the desired outwardlywidening flare.

A large number of tube working tools, such as such tubecutters, havebeen developed for use in a tube cutting working operation. Illustrativeof such tube cutters is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,604 issued toLeonard J. Kowal. Illustrative of flaring tools provided for effecting aflaring of the end of such a cut tube is that shown in U.S. Pat. No.3,027,931 issued to George A. Franck.

As disclosed in said patents, it is conventional in the tube cutting artto provide a tool having a cutting wheel which is moved coaxially aroundthe outer surface of the tube end while the wheel is slowly advancedinto theslit formed by the engagement of the wheel with the tube end asit is swung thereabout. Conventionally in such a tube cutting operation,the tube is held substantially while the tool is swung about the axis ofthe tube during the advancement of the cutting wheel into the wallthereof.

In the conventional flaring operation, the tube end is held positivelyby a suitable clamp. The conventional clamping tools utilizesemicircular bores in opposed clamp elements which are suitably sizedrelative to the outer diameter of the tube so as to provide a firmgripping engagement with the outer surface of the tube wall when theclamp elements are urged forcibly together as by suitable manuallyoperable bolt means. In one improved form of clamping means for use inholding such a tube during a flaring operation, clamping elementsdefining a polygonal tube engaging structure are adjustably mounted toprovide a universal tube engaging means. Such a clamping means isdisclosed in my copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 238,256, filedMar. 27, 1972, entitled Adjustable Clamping Means, owned by the assigneehereof, which application is incorporated by reference herein. Asdisclosed therein,

, the'clamp means includes interleaved, intersliding por- SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION The present invention comprehends an improved tube workingtool construction including an adjustable tube holder having opposedtube engaging elements, an adjustable tube working device integral withthe tube holder, and means for concurrently adjusting both the tubeholder and tube working device.

The adjusting means may comprise manually operable threaded meansincluding a novel handle construction which is selectively disposable ina contracted arrangement and an extended arrangement. In the illustratedembodiment, the tube working device may comprise a tube cutter. Thehandle is arranged to be disposed in the contracted arrangement for usein effecting a tube cutting operation with the tube cutter, and in theextended arrangement for use in holding the tube in the tube holder suchas during a subsequent flaring operation.

Means may be provided for releasably retaining the handle in either ofthe contracted or extended arrangements and in the illustratedembodiment, comprises an improved toggle means.

The tube holder may define a polygonal cross section with means formanually adjusting the size thereof to accommodate different diametertubes.

The tube cutter effectively defines a peripherally open tube receivingspace for receiving the tube by lateral insertion thereinto. The tubeholder effectively defines a peripherally closed tube receiving spacefor receiving the tube by axial insertion thereinto.

In the illustrated embodiment, the arrangement of the tube holder iscorrelated with that of the tube working device such that uponcompletion of the working of the tube by the tube working device, thetube holder is arranged to receive the worked tube and to clamp the tubetherein upon a preselected small adjustment of the tube holder.

The manipulating handle illustratively includes a pair of elements, abase member, means pivotally connecting an inner end of each element tothe base member for swinging about juxtaposed, parallel axes, between aside-by-side juxtaposed relationship defining the contracted arrangementand an aligned end-to-end relationship defining the extendedarrangement.

The cutting wheel of the tube cutter is peripherally spaced inwardly ofthe outer edge of the cutting wheel carrier so that the tool may bemanually grasped without contact of the users hand with the cuttingwheel.

Thus, the present invention comprehends an improved tube working toolconstruction which is extremely simple and economical of manufacturewhile yet providing the substantial improvement over the conventionaltools of the prior art,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a tool embodying the in vention showing aflaring means associated therewith for flaring the end of a cut tube;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof with the tube installed in the tubecutting means;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the handle with one portion thereof shownin section illustrating the extended arrangement thereof;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section of the tool withthe tube end being retained in the tube holder;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section thereof with thetube being disposed in the tube cutter;

FIG. 7 is a transverse section taken substantially along the line 77 ofFIG.

FIG. 8 is a transverse section taken substantially along the line 8-8 ofFIG. 5; and

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the tube clamping elements of the tubeholder.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment ofthe invention as disclosed in the drawing, a tool construction generallydesignated 10 is shown to comprise a tool for use with workpieces suchas tubes T. Tool 10 includes an adjustable tube holder generallydesignated 11 and an adjustable tube working device generally designated12 integral with the tube holder. Means generally designated 13 areprovided for concurrently adjusting both the tube holder and tubeworking device to provide an improved tool construction.

In the illustrated embodiment, the tube working device 12 comprises atube cutter having a conventional cutting wheel 14 adapted to cutthrough the wall of the tube T in a tube cutting operation. As shown inFIG. 2, the cut end 15 of the tube T may then be flared by means of aconventional flaring cone tool device 16 while the tube T is held in thetube holder 11. Adjustment of the arrangement of tube holder 11 and tubecutter 12 may be manually effected by means of a handle generallydesignated 17 connected to the distal end 18 of a threaded rod 19.Handle 17 is selectively disposable in a contracted arrangement, as seenin FIG. 1, to define a compact knob for use in providing suitable forcein effecting the cutting operation, and in an extended arrangement, asseen in FIG. 4, to define an elongated handle means for providing anincreased force in the tube holding operation.

The invention further comprehends a correlation between the dispositionof the cutting tool 12 and the tube holder 11 such that upon completionof the cutting operation, the tube holder is effectively arranged toreceive the cut tube end without further adjustment thereof and toeffectively clamp the tube end suitably for conducting the subsequentflaring operation by a small further adjustment of the adjusting means.Illustratively, the clamping operation may be effected by approximatelyone turn of the threaded means after insertion of the tube end thereintoupon completion of the cutting operation.

As best seen in FIG. 1, tube holder 11 effectively defines aperipherally closed tube holding space 20 for receiving the tube end 15and the device 12 effectively defines a peripherally open tube receivingspace 21.

The flaring tool 16 may comprise a conventional flaring tool having aC-shaped yoke 22 provided at one end with a support portion 23, and atits opposite end with a threaded bore 24 threadedly receiving a stem 25carrying at its lower end a flaring cone 26 adapted to flare thetube'end 15 outwardly as the cone is advanced thereinto by rotation ofthe stem 25 as by manipulation of a handle 27 at the outer end of thestem. During the flaring'operation, tube T is positively held againstaxial displacement by the tube holder 11.

The construction of tool 10 may best be seen by reference to FIGS. 5-9.As shown, rod 19 is threaded into a female element 28 carried by a bodymember 29. Body member 29 comprises a pair of spaced plates 29a and 2%,as illustrated in FIG. 3, with threaded member 28 extendingtherebetween.

Tube holder 11 comprises a plurality of interfitted slide members 30retained between the plates 29a and 29b. Inner end 31 of rod 19 carriesa rotatable connector 32 received in an undercut slot 33 of theinterfitted slide members 30. Each of plates 29a and 2912 furtherdefines a through opening 34 and a slot 35 extending away from opening34 toward element 28.

Interfitted slide members 30 define a plurality of layers of first slidemembers 36, second slide members 37 and third slide members 38. Thesucceeding layers of associated slide members 36, 37 and 38 arereversed, as shown in FIG. 9, wherein a first set of slide members 36,37 and 38 is shown in combination with an adjacent set of slide membersidentified as slide members 36, 37' and 38', it being understood thatthe respective slide members are identical in the two layers except forthe reversal in the positioning thereof. Each of the first and secondslide members defines an undercut slot 39 at one end thereof and isprovided with three through holes 40. Each of the first and second slidemembers is further provided with a substantially rectilinear slot 41which extends at an angle to the longitudinal axis 42 of the clamp, andmore specifically, to the slot 35 which defines a line of movement ofthe slide members 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the respectiveslots 41 extend at opposite 45 angles to this longitudinal axis line ofmovement. The confronting portions of the paired first and second slidemembers define clamping surfaces 43 which, in tube holder 11, extend atan angle of approximately 67- /2 to the longitudinal line of movement.Thus, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the clamping surfaces 43 comprise twoportions of an octangular array.

Third slide member 38 comprises a slide bar having opposed legs 44 and45 extending outwardly at an angle of 45 to a bight portion 46 of theslide bar defining on its inner surface a pair of planar intersectingsurfaces 47 and 48 intersecting at an angle of and defining additionalclamping surfaces of the octangular array defined by the clampingsurfaces 43. The legs 44 and 45 slidably fit in the slots 41 of theconfronting first and second slide members 36 and 37, and thus, uponrelative displacement between the first and second slide members, thebight portion 46 of the slide member 38 is caused to moveperpendicularly to the line of movement between the first and secondslide members. As the legs 44 and 45 extend at 45 angles, the movementof bight portion 46, and therefore clamp surfaces 47 and 48, correspondexactly to the movement of the clamping surfaces 43 relative to eachother so as to maintain an octangular array of the clamping surfaceswhile permitting an infinite adjustment of the crosssectional sizethereof.

To effect such relative movemtne between the slide members 36 and 37,the slide members 37 are fixedly secured between the plates 29a and 29bby a plurality of roll pins 49 which are press-fitted into the platesand a rivet 50. Thus, rivet 50 cooperates with element 28 in locking theplates 29a and 29b with the interfitted slide members 30 therebetween.

The slide members 36 are movable longitudinally of the clamp by theengagement of connector 32 with the slide members 36 in the undercutslot 33 as a result of the threaded movement of the rod 19. The slidemembers 36 are secured together as a unit by roll pins 51 and anelongated roll pin 52 provided at its opposite ends with guide caps 53slidably received in slots 35 of the side plates. Rod 19 is provided atits inner end with a reduced diameter portion 54. Connector 32 is pinnedto rod portion 54 by a suitable roll pin 55 and, thus, force istransmitted from the threaded rod 19 through the connector 32 to thestack of slide members 36 to move the stack of slide membersalternatively toward or away from the fixed slide members 37 as desired.As discussed above, such movement changes the size of the octangulararray of clamping surfaces 43, 47, and 48 so as to cause the clampingsurfaces to engage a workpiece such as tube T at four spaced points, asillustrated in FIG. for an infinite range of tube sizes.

The adjacent set of slide members 36', 37, and 38 is, as indicatedabove, identical to the set 36, 37 and 38 but is reversed so that thelegs 44' and 45' of the third slide member 38 extend oppositely to legs44 and 45 of the first set. This reversed arrangement is alternativelyeffected throughout the stack of slide members defining the interfittedslide members assembly 30 and, thus, the tube T is alternatively engagedat four spaced points by adjacent sets of slide members intermediate thelocation of the spaced points engaged by the first set 36, 37 and 38,i.e., the engagement points of the second set are offset by an angle of360 divided by the number of sides of the polygonal array. Therefore,the engagement of the interfitted slide member assembly 30 with the tubeT is effectively at eight points around the circumference of the tubewhile at each layer, or level, defined by a set of first, second andthird slide members, the tube is engaged at only four points Thus, toclamp a tube T in association with the tool 10, the tube need merely beinserted into the clamping space 56 about which the clamping surfaces43, 47, and 48 are arranged in the octangular array and the handle 17suitably manipulated to thread rod 19 through the element 28 to urge themovable set of first slide members 36 toward the fixed set of slidemembers 37. The legs 44 and 45 of the third slide members 38 are causedto slide further into the slots 41 of the ,first and second slidemembers as a result of the movement of the first slide members 36 alongthe longitudinal axis line of movement thereof, thereby maintaining theoctangular array of clamping surfaces while reducing the crosssectionalsize thereof until each of the clamping surfaces 43, 47 and 48 engagesthe outer circumference of the tube. Further turning of the handleforcibly tightens the clamp to hold the tube firmly against the flaringaction of the cone'26. As the clamp is infinitely adjustable, anydiameter tube may be so clamped therein to be flared by the flaringcone, thereby permitting the flaring of an infinite range of sizes oftubes including both English size tubes, metric size tubes, etc.

While the invention has been described in connection with the holding ofa tubular workpiece T, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art,any suitable workpiece may be held by the clamp where the crosssectionalconfiguration thereof may be suitably engaged by the effectivelyoctangular array of clamping surfaces.

As discussed above, the illustrated tube working device comprises a tubecutter having a cutting wheel 14 adapted to cut through the wall of thetube T. To effect such a cutting operation with tool 10, cutting wheel14 is rotatably carried on a shaft 57 which is secured between legs 58aand 58b of a bifurcated end 58 of a carrier 59. As shown in FIG. 5,carrier 59 includes a lug 60 received in a groove 61 of slide member set30 for movement parallel to axis 42 together with slide member set 30.Carrier 59 is guided for movement parallel to axis 42 by means of a pairof slide projections 62 received in slots 63 of plates 29a and 2%. Abackup tube support 64 is secured between the side plates 29a and 2% byprojecting portions 67 received in openings 68 of the slide plates 29aand 2912. Thus, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, cutting wheel 14 ismovable toward and from tube carrier 64 for selective advancement of thewheel 14 into the wall of a tube in a conventional manner as by a slowadvancement of the cutting wheel into the tube wall as the cutting wheelis swung around the longitudinal axis 69 of the tube T until the wheelhas cut fully through the wall.

The invention comprehends relating the disposition of cutting wheel 14on carrier 59 to the disposition of the slide member sets 30 and 30' sothat the space 56 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tubeT when the tool is disposed as at the end of the cutting operation.Thus, the user need merely reposition the now out tube in the space 56and with a small further manipulation of handle 17 to effectapproximately one turn of threaded member 19, effect. a positiveclamping of the cut tube in the tube holder 11. As discussed above,during the tube cutting operation, the handle 17 is retracted to theposition of FIG. 1 for facilitated swinging of the tool about the axisof the tube. To effect a more forceful clamping action for positivelyholding the tube in the flaring operation, the handle 17 is swung to theextended position of FIG. 4 to adjust the disposition of slide membersets 30 and 30. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, handle 17 includes a pairof holder elements 70 and 71, each having a bifurcated end defined by apair of legs 72 and 73 straddling a base member 74 fixed to the end 18of threaded rod 19. Legs 72 and 73 are pivotally mounted to base member74 by means of a pin 75.

Each handle element defines a hollow bore 76 opening inwardly towardbase member 74 and provided with a plunger 77 biased outwardly againstbase member 74 by a coil spring 78. As best seen in FIG. 4, base member74 defines right angle corner projecting portions 79. Thus, plunger 77and coil spring 78 cooperate with the corner portions 79 to defineatoggle structure selectively releasably retaining the handle elementsin either the side-by-side knob-forming contracted arrangement of FIG.1, or the end-to-end extended handle arrange ment of FIG. 4. Thisarrangement of the toggle structure causes maximum retaining force tooccur halfway between the two operating positions of FIG. 1 and FIG. 4so that the handle members are effectively retained in the desiredselected positions while yetthey may be readily swung to the otherposition. when desired. Further as shown in the drawing, a substantialmovement of the handle members may occur before accidental flipover ofthe handle members from one position to the other occurs. As a minimaltoggle force is provided in the selected disposition, movement of thehandles to the other disposition may be readily effected, and inparticular, ready separation of the two handle members in the contractedknob-forming arrangement may be readily effected.

As further shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4, if the tool is accidentallydropped, the handle members may merely swing beyond the other corners ofthe base member to prevent excessive stresses from being developed inthe handle connections. As discussed above, the handle is normallydisposed in the contracted arrangement of FIG. 1 during the tube cuttingoperation for improved force generation correlation with therequirements of the tube cutting operation, and in the extendedarrangement of FIG. 4, to effect the more forceful tube holdingoperation.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the space 80 between the cutting wheel 14 andtube support 64 is laterally open to receive the tube to be cut by alateral movement downwardly thereinto. The space 56 is peripherallyclosed so that the cut tube may be inserted by axial movement thereinto.The movable cutter wheel carrier 59 is effectively integrally associatedwith the movable slide member means 30 to provide the desired positionalrelationship discussed above. By utilizing a single threaded means 19for effecting operation of the tube cutter and tube holding means, thetool may be extremely simple and economical of construction whilesynergistically providing the improved positional relationshipsdiscussed above.

The pitch of the thread of members 19 and 28 is preselected to besuitable to effect the desired forceful advance of the slide members 30as well as the cutting wheel 14 for use in the two different operations.A variation in the mechanical advantage is obtained by the selecteddisposition of the handle as discussed above. The improved clampingmeans permits a lower clamping force to provide a substantially positiveretention of the tube as compared to the clamping forces required inconventional tube holders utilizing segmentally cylindrical clampingelements and, thus, the tube cutting and tube clamping forces are moreclosely related for facilitated effecting of each.

, As the cutting wheel 14 is recessed in space 80 below the top edge 81of carrier 59, injury to the user by inadvertent engagement of hisfingers with the cutting wheel, as during a flaring operation, iseffectively minimi'zed.

In removing the flared tube from the tool, the user need merelyretrogradely rotate threaded rod 19 to enlarge clamping space 56sufficiently to pass the flared end of the tube axially therefrom.Again, such enlarge ment of space 56 provides a correspondingenlargement of space 80 to automatically redispose cutting wheel 14suitably for initiating a subsequent tube cutting operation. Thus, thetool operates synergistically not only in correlating the position ofthe holding means with that of the cutting means at the end of thecutting operation, but also in correlating the relationship at the endof the flaring operation.

Thus, as discussed above, tool is extremely simple and economical ofconstruction while yet providing the improved functioning discussedabove.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of thebroad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

I claim:

1. A tool construction for use with workpiece tubes comprising: meansfor holding a tube against axial displacement having adjustably spacedtube engaging elements defining a peripherally closed tube receivingspace of polygonal shape and arranged to engage a tube to be held at atleast 6 circumferentially spaced positions; a tube cutter havingadjustably spaced tube supporting and tube cutting means integral withsaid tube holding means; and means for adjusting the spacing of thetube-holding means and the tube cutter including manually operable meansfor providing a low torque adjustment of said cutter to advance thecutting means into a tube held by said supporting means while the toolis swung about the tube and selectively rearranged to provide a hightorque adjustment of said holder means to effectively prevent axialdisplacement of the cut tube in said holding means.

2. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said adjusting meanscomprises threaded means.

3. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said adjusting meanscomprises threaded means having a manipulating handle selectivelydisposable in a contracted arrangement for use in the tube cuttingoperation and an extended arrangement for use in the tube holdingoperation.

.4. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said adjusting meanscomprises threaded means having a manipulating handle selectivelydisposable in a contracted arrangement for use in the tube cuttingoperation and an extended arrangement for use in the tube holdingoperation, and having toggle means for releasably retaining the handlein either of said arrangements.

5. The tool construction of claim 1 having a body member, at least oneof said tool holding elements and said tube cutting means being movablymounted on said body member.

6. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said tube holding meansdefines a peripherally closed tube receiving space, and said tube cutterdefines a peripherally open tube receiving space.

7. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein the'arrangement of said tubeholding means is correlated with that of said tube cutter such that uponcompletion of the adjustment of the tube cutter to complete the cuttingof the tube, the tube holding means is arranged to receive the cut tubeand to clamp the tube therein upon a preselected small adjustment of thetube holding means.

8. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said adjusting meanscomprises manually operable threaded means, and the arrangement of saidtube holding means is correlated with that of said tube cutter such thatupon completion of the adjustment of the tube cutter to complete thecutting of the tube, the tube holding means is arranged to received thecut tube and to clamp the tube therein upon approximately a single turnof the threaded means.

9. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said adjusting meanscomprises threaded means having a manipulating handle selectivelydisposable in a contracted arrangement for use in the tube cuttingoperation and an extended arrangement for use in the tube holdingoperation, said handle comprising a pair of elements, a base member,means pivotally connecting an inner end of each element to the basemember for swinging about juxtaposed, parallel axes, between aside-by-side juxtaposed relationship defining said contractedarrangement and an aligned end-to-end relationship defining saidextended arrangement.

10. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said adjusting meanscomprises threaded means having a manipulating handle selectivelydisposable in a contracted arrangement for use in the tube cuttingoperation and an extended arrangement for use in the tube holding 11.The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said adjusting means comprisesthreaded means having a manipulating handle selectively disposable in acontracted arrangement for'use in the tube cutting operation and anextended arrangement for use in the tube holding operation, said handlecomprising a pair of elements, a

' base member, means pivotallyv connecting an inner end of each elementto the base member for swinging about juxtaposed, parallel axes, betweena side-by-side juxtaposed relationship defining said contractedarrangement and an aligned end'to-end relationship defining saidextended arrangement, and toggle means for releasably retaining saidelements in either of said arrangements.

12. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said tube cutter includes acarrier defining an outer edge portion and said cutting means comprisesa cutting wheel carried on said carrier with all exposed portions of thecutting wheel being spaced inwardly of said outer edge portion.

13. A tool construction for use with workpiece tubes comprising:

means for holding a tube against axial displacement having adjustablyspaced tube engaging elements defining a peripherally closed tubereceiving space of polygonal shape and arranged to engage a tube to beheld at at least 6 circumferentially spaced positions; a tube cutterhaving adjustably spaced tube supporting and tube cutting means integralwith said tube holding means; means for adjusting the spacing of thetube holding means and the tube cutter including manually 0perable meansfor providing a low torque adjustment of said cutter to advance thecutting means into a tube held by said supporting means while the toolis swung about the tube and selectively rearranged to provide a hightorque adjustment of said holder means to effectively prevent axialdisplacement of the cut tube in said holding means; and

means for flaring the cut end 01? the tube with said tube being held bysaid holding means.

14. The tool construction of claim 13 wherein said manually operablemeans defines a knob for providing said low torque adjustment.

15. The tool construction of claim 13 wherein said tube holding meansdefines means for engaging the tube at at least 6 circumferentiallyequally spaced points.

16. The tool construction of claim 13 wherein said tube holding meansdefines means for engaging the tube at 8 circurnferentially equallyspaced points.

17. The tool construction of claim 13 wherein said flaring means definesa support portion, said cutter being disposed outwardly beyond saidsupport portion with said holding means being supported on said supportportion during a tube flaring operation.

1. A tool construction for use with workpiece tubes comprising: meansfor holding a tube against axial displacement having adjustably spacedtube engaging elements defining a peripherally closed tube receivingspace of polygonal shape and arranged to engage a tube to be held at atleast 6 circumferentially spaced positions; a tube cutter havingadjustably spaced tube supporting and tube cutting means integral withsaid tube holding means; and means for adjusting the spacing of the tubeholding means and the tube cutter including manually operable means forproviding a low torque adjustment of said cutter to advance the cuttingmeans into a tube held by said supporting means while the tool is swungabout the tube and selectively rearranged to provide a high torqueadjustment of said holder means to effectively prevent axialdisplacement of the cut tube in said holding means.
 2. The toolconstruction of claim 1 wherein said adjusting means comprises threadedmeans.
 3. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said adjusting meanscomprises threaded means having a manipulating handle selectivelydisposable in a contracted arrangement for use in the tube cuttingoperation and an extended arrangement for use in the tube holdingoperation.
 4. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said adjustingmeans comprises threaded means having a manipulating handle selectivelydisposable in a contracted arrangement for use in the tube cuttingoperation and an extended arrangement for use in the tube holdingoperation, and having toggle means for releasably retaining the handlein either of said arrangements.
 5. The tool construction of claim 1having a body member, at least one of said tool holding elements andsaid tube cutting means being movably mounted on said body member. 6.The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said tube holding means definesa peripherally closed tube receiving space, and said tube cutter definesa peripherally open tube receiving space.
 7. The tool construction ofclaim 1 wherein the arrangement of said tube holding means is correlatedwith that of said tube cutter such that upon completion of theadjustment of the tube cutter to complete the cutting of the tube, thetube holding means is arranged to receive the cut tube and to clamp thetube therein upon a preselected small adjustment of the tube holdingmeans.
 8. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein said adjusting meanscomprises manually operable threaded means, and the arrangement of saidtube holding means is correlated with that of said tube cutter such thatupon completion of the adjustment of the tube cutter to cOmplete thecutting of the tube, the tube holding means is arranged to received thecut tube and to clamp the tube therein upon approximately a single turnof the threaded means.
 9. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein saidadjusting means comprises threaded means having a manipulating handleselectively disposable in a contracted arrangement for use in the tubecutting operation and an extended arrangement for use in the tubeholding operation, said handle comprising a pair of elements, a basemember, means pivotally connecting an inner end of each element to thebase member for swinging about juxtaposed, parallel axes, between aside-by-side juxtaposed relationship defining said contractedarrangement and an aligned end-to-end relationship defining saidextended arrangement.
 10. The tool construction of claim 1 wherein saidadjusting means comprises threaded means having a manipulating handleselectively disposable in a contracted arrangement for use in the tubecutting operation and an extended arrangement for use in the tubeholding operation, said handle comprising a pair of elements, a basemember, means pivotally connecting an inner end of each element to thebase member for swinging about juxtaposed, parallel axes, between aside-by-side juxtaposed relationship defining said contractedarrangement and an aligned end-to-end relationship defining saidextended arrangement, and means for releasably retaining said elementsin either of said arrangements.
 11. The tool construction of claim 1wherein said adjusting means comprises threaded means having amanipulating handle selectively disposable in a contracted arrangementfor use in the tube cutting operation and an extended arrangement foruse in the tube holding operation, said handle comprising a pair ofelements, a base member, means pivotally connecting an inner end of eachelement to the base member for swinging about juxtaposed, parallel axes,between a side-by-side juxtaposed relationship defining said contractedarrangement and an aligned end-to-end relationship defining saidextended arrangement, and toggle means for releasably retaining saidelements in either of said arrangements.
 12. The tool construction ofclaim 1 wherein said tube cutter includes a carrier defining an outeredge portion and said cutting means comprises a cutting wheel carried onsaid carrier with all exposed portions of the cutting wheel being spacedinwardly of said outer edge portion.
 13. A tool construction for usewith workpiece tubes comprising: means for holding a tube against axialdisplacement having adjustably spaced tube engaging elements defining aperipherally closed tube receiving space of polygonal shape and arrangedto engage a tube to be held at at least 6 circumferentially spacedpositions; a tube cutter having adjustably spaced tube supporting andtube cutting means integral with said tube holding means; means foradjusting the spacing of the tube holding means and the tube cutterincluding manually operable means for providing a low torque adjustmentof said cutter to advance the cutting means into a tube held by saidsupporting means while the tool is swung about the tube and selectivelyrearranged to provide a high torque adjustment of said holder means toeffectively prevent axial displacement of the cut tube in said holdingmeans; and means for flaring the cut end of the tube with said tubebeing held by said holding means.
 14. The tool construction of claim 13wherein said manually operable means defines a knob for providing saidlow torque adjustment.
 15. The tool construction of claim 13 whereinsaid tube holding means defines means for engaging the tube at at least6 circumferentially equally spaced points.
 16. The tool construction ofclaim 13 wherein said tube holding means defines means for engaging thetube at 8 circumferentially equally spaced points.
 17. The toolconstruction of claim 13 wherein said flaring means defines a supportportion, said cutter being disposed outwardLy beyond said supportportion with said holding means being supported on said support portionduring a tube flaring operation.